The Octavia confirms its place as a class-leading hatchback purely by the amount of space on offer, with a boot that’s longer and far more useable than almost any of its rivals. It’s also incredibly well priced for a car with such substance and gets plenty of equipment regardless of which trim you choose. For a practical, useable and enjoyable hatchback, it’s hard to beat the Octavia.

Engine:

Worth the extra if you want good fuel economy but also strong performance. It’s also more refined than the 1.6 diesel, emitting fewer vibrations at low revs and benefiting from a six-speed manual gearbox as standard.